There are signs that the EU and Russia are managing their relations better in their common neighborhood. Neither has achieved its ambitions in countries such as Georgia, Moldova, and Ukraine. Although a “grand bargain” is not possible at the moment, the two sides have a common interest in halting a deterioration in relations.

An increasingly important component of Beijing's Belt and Road Initiative can be found in the Central Asian corridor that connects China and Afghanistan. China has been expanding its economic and security cooperation in Central Asia in recent years. Reports this week that China plans to build a military base for Afghanistan's armed forces in the northeastern province of Badakhshan suggest that the strategic yet perennially unstable country is quickly following through on the plan.

In 2017, China and Russia trumpeted the closeness of their relationship, calling it a historic highpoint. Xi Jinping has made good relations with Russian President Vladimir Putin a priority, visiting Russia six times and meeting with Putin on 21 occasions since taking office.

Climate change, terrorism and the backlash against globalization are the three most significant challenges to civilization as we know it, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said at the World Economic Forum’s Annual Meeting 2018 in Davos, Switzerland.

Neil Peterson was one of ‘Liverpool – European Capital of Culture (ECoC) 2008’ team members, who is now working with various European cities, such as Kaunas, that have won this status in helping them to achieve their goals. With Neil Peterson, who was recently visiting Kaunas, we spoke about the potential of Kaunas city, the challenges that ‘Kaunas 2022’ team is yet to face in the future and Liverpool's 2008 success, which leads city ten year on.

Georgian Parliament Chair Irakli Kobakhidze has met with the Speaker of the Legislative Chamber of the Oliy Majlis of the Republic of Uzbekistan Nurdinjon Ismoilov to speak about enhancing economic ties between the two nations and the development of transit function.

China's Road and Bridge Corporation will build the controversial Peljesac Bridge in southern Croatia, designed to link Dubrovnik to the rest of the country and bypass the Bosnian coast, it was announced on Friday.

Luke Coffey, Director of the Allison Center for Foreign Policy Studies at The Heritage Foundation, believes Kazakhstan as the regional leader can help the United States play a role in bringing economic and security stability in Afghanistan.

The European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD) continued to support the Central Asian region in 2017 with a total investment of $1 billion. It has also resumed operations in Uzbekistan after a seven-year pause.

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg welcomed President Borut Pahor of Slovenia to NATO Headquarters for discussions about the Alliance’s adaptation and preparations for the NATO Summit in July. Mr. Stoltenberg thanked Slovenia for important contributions to NATO, including troops to the KFOR mission, contributions to the Alliance’s mission in Afghanistan and to a NATO multinational battlegroup in Latvia.

By Igor Ivanov, President of the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC)

Last days demonstrated yet another division in the transatlantic alliance — political leaders of major European countries explicitly distanced themselves from the new US position on the status of Jerusalem. Earlier they also opposed the new Trump assault against the Iranian nuclear agreement.

On 11-12 January, ICDS Head of Studies and Research Fellow Tomas Jermalavičius participated in a traditional Snowmeeting—a high level foreign and security policy conference organised by the Lithuanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs.